Synergistic Effect of Aqueous Extracts of Croton Zabensicus and Vernonia amygdalina Leaves as an Antihyperglycemic Agent in an Alloxan Induced Diabetic Albino Rats

Aims: This study was aimed at investigating the antihyperglycemic effect of a combined extract of Vernonia amygdalinaand croton zabensicuscompare with a hypoglycemic drug, glibenclamide.Methodology:Twenty 20 experimental animals were used (albino rats); the rats were divided equally into four groups of five rats each; namely A (control), B (glibenclamide 10mg/kg body weight), C (synergetic treatment 1000mg/kg body weight), D (synergetic treatment 500mg/kg of body weight). Diabetes was induced intraperitoneal using Alloxan Monohydrate to all the animals and their blood glucose rise above 200mg/dl.Results:It was observed that group B and group C treated with glibenclamide (10mg/kg body weight) and synergetic aqueous extract (1000mg/kg body weight) show significantdecrease in the blood glucose level from 451.75mg/dl to 64.50mg/dl and 339.50mg/dl to 182.50mg/dl respectively compared with group D with 278.25mg/dl to 194.75mg/dl.However, a change was also observed in the body weight of the groups; Group A (Normal control) showed a continuous increase in the body weight, Group B, C and D were observed to have decreased in body weight from induction period, but a steady increase was observed astreatment commences. Conclusion:Hence this combined extract can be used as antihyperglycemic; only that it is slower in remediation compared with the glibenclamide; but without side effect, as may be in the case of most standard drug

Pathogenicity of Five Strains of Toxoplasma gondii from Different Animals to Chickens

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with a broad range of intermediate hosts. Chickens as important food-producing animals can also serve as intermediate hosts. To date, experimental studies on the pathogenicity of T. gondii in broiler chickens were rarely reported. The objective of the present study was to compare the pathogenicity of 5 different T. gondii strains (RH, CN, JS, CAT2, and CAT3) from various host species origin in 10-day-old chickens. Each group of chickens was infected intraperitoneally with 5 x 10(8), 1 x 10(8), 1 x 10(7), and 1 x 10(6) tachyzoites of the 5 strains, respectively. The negative control group was mockly inoculated with PBS alone. After infection, clinical symptoms and rectal temperatures of all the chickens were checked daily. Dead chickens during acute phage of the infection were checked for T. gondii tachyzoites by microscope, while living cases were checked for T. gondii infection at day 53 post-inoculation (PI) by PCR method. Histopathological sections were used to observe the pathological changes in the dead chickens and the living animals at day 53 PI. No significant differences were found in survival periods, histopathological findings, and clinical symptoms among the chickens infected with the RH, CN, CAT2, and CAT3 strains. Histopathological findings and clinical symptoms of the JS (chicken origin) group were similar to the others. However, average survival times of infected chickens of the JS group inoculated with 5 x 10(8) and 1 x 10(8) tachyzoites were 30.0 and 188.4 hr, respectively, significantly shorter than those of the other 4 mammalian isolates. Chickens exposed to 10(8) of T. gondii tachyzoites and higher showed acute signs of toxoplasmosis, and the lesions were relatively more severe than those exposed to lower doses. The results indicated that the pathogenicity of JS strain was comparatively stronger to the chicken, and the pathogenicity was dose-dependent.

Epidemiology and outcome of childhood asthma: a clinical study in an Egyptian university medical centre

The prevalence of childhood asthma has increased recently. The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology of asthma and risk factors for hospital admission among children attending the outpatient and emergency clinic in a university hospital in Sohag, Egypt. The prevalence of asthma over a 6-month period among children aged 3-12 years at this hospital was 1.4% [178/12 612]. All the asthmatic children were enrolled in an observational, prospective questionnaire study. More of the asthmatics were males, living in rural areas, with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, passive exposure to tobacco smoke and suffering attacks at night time; 38 children [21.3%] needed hospital admission for asthma. In multivariate regression analysis, significant risk factors for hospital admission were: both cough and dyspnoea as presenting symptoms; using prophylactic therapy; and complaining of continuous symptoms [during both day and night]. Proper use of prophylactic therapies is recommended for better outcomes in our asthmatic children